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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. key — for a lock
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. present — a gift
  6. key — the most important part
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. cold — not warm
  9. ball — a dance
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. ball — a great time
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. squash — the sport
  15. present — the time now
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. cold — an illness
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. squash — to crush
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. present — there
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. leaves — of a tree

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com